Method and means for flat folding bottom sealed cartons



March 21, 1%? F. D. PIERCE 3,309,979

METHOD AND MEANS FOR FLAT FOLDING BOTTOM SEALED CARTONS Filed Sept. 8, 1964 3 Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTOR h FRANK D. P/ERCE March 21, 1967 F. D. PIERCE s 9 METHOD AND MEANS FOR FLAT FOLDING BOTTOM SEALED CARTONS Filed Sept. 8, 1964 3 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR. FRANK 0. P/ERCE BY ALLAN, 19%

March 21, 1967 'F. D. PIERCE METHOD AND MEANS FOR FLAT FOLDING BOTTOM SEALED GARTONS Filed Sept. 8, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVNTOK FRANK D P/E/PCE United States Patent 3,309,970 METHOD AND MEANS FOR FLAT FOLDING BOTTOM SEALED CARTONS Frank D. Pierce, Salinas, Califi, assignor to Klemark, Inc., Salinas, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Sept. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 394,991 8 Claims. (Cl. 93-53) This invention relates to bottom sealed cartons which are immediately available for use and particularly to bottom sealed cartons which are folded into a flat condition.

In many operations, both in the packing and shipping of foods directly from the fields and the packing and shipping of many items in sheds and plants, bottom sealed cartons are required for use by the packers. Cartons for this purpose are usually of corrugated board, and are delivered by the manufacturer to the consumer in a condition called fiats. In this condition the blank from which the form of the carton is cut, is scored and cut for bottom side flaps and bottom end flaps and usually, scored and cut for top side flaps and top end flaps as well. There are also scorings defining the side panels and end panels for the box itself. The blank is folded once along one of the cartons vertical edges and the two edges of the blank which now coincide, are joined to make the opposite box vertical edge. This provides a fiat of two thicknesses the free edges of which are joined together. The shipping and storage of cartons in flats is a great time saver as well as a space saver. All that is necessary to put these flats to use and ready for receiving produce or merchandise is to have the operator open the flat into the form of a rectangular tube. Almost in the same motion a skilled operator can fold in the bottom end fiaps and thereafter in another motion, fold in the bottom There are several ways of closing the bottom to make a bottom sealed carton and one of the earliest was the use of metal staples or stitchers. The opened box or carton flat with its bottom end and side flaps folded in was turned upside down and placed on a mandrel where the stitcher could use a hammer or gun to staple or stitch the bottom flaps together. This method had the advantage that the carton flats could be taken to the place of use, which might be remote from the place of storage, such as out in the field, and the boxes could be bottom sealed as they were needed. The bottom sealing in this manner is a hand operation requiring semi-skilled labor which in turn calls for one or two helpers plus a truck and driver, if the boxes are to be made in the field as is frequently done. The cost of this hand labor as well as the cost of the material used raised the price of a stitched bottom sealed carton above the economic limits.

Accordingly, machines for glue sealing carton bottoms were developed, and while these machines became small enough to be portable to the extent of being mounted on a truck, the vagaries of adhesives for securing the box flaps resulting from varied weather conditions, were a constant problem, and on foggy or moist days, or if the box flats were damp, it was almost impossible to seal a carton with glue. Furthermore, on windy days the fine dust of field dirt and all kinds of sand and grit got into the operating mechanism of the machines causing extensive early wear and other damage, even to the stoppage of the equipment. The stopping of any line is costly,

but in growing crops, the stoppage of a packing line borders on disaster.

While it is much more economic to have the cartons bottom sealed with glue or other adhesive in a shed and ready for use, it is quite impractical to do this and haul them in this condition to the fields or any remote location.

Accordingly, the many objectives which are accomplished by the machine of the present invention are to take a carton which has previously been bottom sealed, whether by stitcher or glue or any other manner, and fold it flat for ease of storage and transportation, so that it may be transported in the KDF, i.e., knock down, fiat form to the place of use and be available immediately as a bottom sealed carton.

Another important objective is the folding of paper cartons which have been bottom sealed in a previous operation, into fiat form without creasing or weakening the end panels or the sealed bottoms thereof.

It will be observed that not only does the machine of the present invention overcome the difiiculties of the previous methods and means of supplying bottom sealed cartons and boxes, but accomplishes the benefits of a bottom sealed carton in flat form at the place of use. Many other advantages will become apparent to those skilled in this art as the description herein proceeds.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy and ease of assembly and disassembly, also such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will fully appear and as are inherently possessed by the device and invention described herein.

The invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the same is illustrative of the invention and that the invention is capable of modification and change and comprehends other details of construction without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the bottom sealed box folding machine which is the subject of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view taken on the line II-II of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view diagrammatically showing the operation of the folding arms on a set-up bottom sealed box;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the carton shown in FIGURE 3 taken on the line IV-IV and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view diagrammatically showing the action of the rear folding pressure arm;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary diagrammatic side elevational view of the delivery of the folded carton to the compression rollers; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the fiat folded bottom sealed carton.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts in the several views, the structure and operation of the machine cannot be properly stated or understood without reference to the particular type of carton used in the machine. The carton 10 is a conventional container usually made of corrugated board. It has side panels 11 and 12 and end panels 14 and 15, top side flaps 16 and 17 and top end 3 flaps 18 and 20. Both the top side and end flaps are in substantially the same vertical planes as their corresponding panels to which they are attached. The bottom side panels 16 and 17 and end panels 18' and 20' are folded inwardly and sealed so that the carton as delivered to this machine is a fully bottom sealed carton.

The side panels 11 and 12 of the carton are scored on the inside with score marks 21 and 22. These score marks start at the respective bottom corners and move upwardly at a 45 angle so that they intersect a little above the center of the top marginal edge 23. The geometric requirements vary according to the shape of the box and so the 45 angle may also be varied. The top side flaps 16 and 17 are scored on their insides with the vertical score marks 24 which lead directly to the point of intersection or apex 23 on the respective side panels. Except for the internal scorings 21, 22 and 24, these boxes are exactly like any other standard corrugated box so far as dimensions and appearance are concerned.

There is another type of box which is standard for the industry and this is the HSC, i.e., half slotted container, box which has no top, therefore no top, end and side flaps. However, it is used in a bottom sealed condition. If this type of box is used for folding flat of course it must be provided with inner scorings 21 and 22 in each of the side panels.

The machine itself is framed by four vertical posts, the front pair 26 being a little shorter than the rear pair 27. There are a pair of longitudinal horizontal members 28 which connect the front and rear posts at either side and extend beyond the frame. There are suitable crossbraces 30 which provide suitable rigidity to the structure. At the top of the smaller front posts 26 there are horizontal longitudinal brace member 31 which connect the front and rear posts at either side, and a front transverse brace member 32. Connecting the two rear posts 27 is a transverse brace member 33. At each end of the side braces 28 are mounted front and rear rollers 34 and 35 respectively, the front roller 34 being the driven one and the roller 35 being the idler roller, as shown in the drawings. A continuous belt passes over these rollers and is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow. The roller 35 may be mounted with suitable positioning adjustment means 37 for tightening the belt 36 if the occasion demands. In the area generally indicated as between the forward pair of posts 26 and the rear pair of posts 27, the belt is supported by suitable longitudinal slats 38. The level of the top of the belt 36 can be adjusted so that it is the proper height to receive boxes from the machine which bottom seals the set-up cartons.

The bottom sealed carton 10 is delivered to this machine with one end forward, being end 14 as shown in the drawings. It is directed into position on the moving belt 36 through suitable guides 40 at either side of the side panels. I These guides extend only a short distance inwardly of the rear posts 27 in order not to interfere with the folding operation.

A rotating shaft 41 is suitably mounted longitudinally at one side between the forward post and the rear post. At the forward end of the rotatable shaft 41 is a fixed crank arm 42 and at the rearward end i a fixed crank arm 43. The end of the crank 43 is rotatably attached to the end of piston 44 which operates from cylinder 45, which in turn is pivotally mounted at 46 to the top of the rear post 27. In the same horizontal plane as the rotating shaft 41 but on the opposite side of the frame, is the longitudinal rotating shaft 47, which is suitably mounted between the front and rear posts 26 and 27. At the end of the shaft 47 and forward of the post 26 a fixed crank 48 is mounted. The free end of the crank 48 is pivotally connected to the free end of the crank 42 by the rod 50 which is adjustable at either end as at 51, to make possible smooth, wear-free rotation of shafts 41 and 47 synchronously. Secured to each of the rotating shafts 41 and 47 abaft the longitudinal midpoint, are opposed angular arms 53. These arms are constructed preferably of a single red bent at the middle to form a rounded V-point 54 with the legs angled upwardly where they are bent back upon themselves at 55 so that the two free ends are suitably secured to the respective shafts 41 and 47. The included angle is less than 45 but this angle may be varied to suit the type of box, if desired. The angular mounting is for the purpose of providing the movement of the arms in the manner shown in FIG- URE 3.

Rearwardly of the front transverse cross-brace and on top of the longitudinal top brace, a rotating shaft 56 is suitably journaled on the frame as at 57. Fixed to the rotating shaft 56 is a rear folding pressure assembly comprising a pair of curved longitudinal members 58 joined by a transverse flat bar 60 at a median point, and by a transverse 'bar 61 at their outer ends which extends laterally to each side beyond the limits .of the longitudinal members 58. The rotating movement of the rear folding pressure assembly is controlled by cylinder 62, the piston rod 63 for which is pivotally connected to the transverse flat bar 60 while the other end of the cylinder is pivotally attache-d to a bracket at the rear of the top transverse brace 33. Also rigidly attached to the rotat ing shaft 56 and at one side thereof is a flat contact bar 64 which normally engages the limit switch 65. Adjacent the center of the front cross-bar 32 is mounted an other limit switch 66 which operates upon rotating by contact of its feeler 67.

Transversely of the inner side of the forward post 26 a roller 68 is suitably mounted and journaled on the frame for rotation. This is an idler roller for the angular belt flight 70. At the forward end of the longitudinal side supports 28 are a pair of plates 71, one mounted at either side thereof, for mounting the various rollers. The roller 72 which is the driven roller for the belt 71 is mounted in these plates as are the two compression rollers 73 and 74. Suitable idler sprockets or pulleys 75 are provided so that all of the rollers 34, 72, 73 and 74 are driven by a single motor 76 and either belts or chains 77. The direction of rotation for each is indicated by the arrows. The control panel or control box 80 is shown in phantom only, but it contains a timer 81, solenoid control valves, and numerous electrical connections as well as the pressure regulator for the fluid systems, none of which per se form any part of this invention, and are conventional in structure.

Operation The operation of the device is necessarily described in conjunction with the folding of a box 10. The box 10 as it comes from the bottom sealing machine is substan tially in the form as shown in FIGURE 1. The bottom is sealed, the side flaps 16 and 17 and end flaps 20 and 18 are vertically aligned in the same plane with respect to the panels to which they are attached. The box is presented to and guided to the machine through the side guides 40, the sealed bottom resting on the belt 36. The box moves forward on the belt until the front panel 14 or the front flap 20 engages the end of the feeler 67 and is stopped in position by roller 68. The belt 36 continues to pass under the stopped container 10. As this IS contacted the switch in the limit switch 66 is rotated to the operative position so that fluid is fed into the cylinder 45 to move the piston upwardly. Since the cylinder 45 with its piston rod 44 is rotatably mounted to the arm 43, the movement of the piston upwardly causes the shaft 41 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction causing the arm 42 on shaft 41 to also move counter-clockwise. Because of the linkage 50 the arm 48 on shaft 47 and the shaft 47, move in a clockwise direction. Thus the arms 53 rotate downwardly and inwardly on the are 82 as shown in FIGURE 3. The box is retained in position under the arms 53 after striking the feeler 67 and the arms 53 come down as before indicated so that the rounded point 54 of the arms engage the inner face of the side panels of the box just below the apex 23 'of the score lines 21 and 22. This is shown in FIGURE 3. This causes the side panels 11 and 12 to buckle outwardly along the score lines 21 and 22 and the top side flaps 16 and 17 to also buckle outwardly on the vertical scoring 24. This is shown in FIGURE 4.

As the carton engages the feeler 67 and energizes the cylinder 45, the retraction of rod 44 engages limit switch 88 which sets the timer 81 in the control box 80 so that cylinder 62 is energized. The piston 63 is thereupon extended to bear against its mounting on the flat transverse flat bar 60 and rotate the rear folding pressure assembly on the shaft 56 from the position of rest shown as A in FIGURE 5 in the are designated by the line 83 through the position B to its final limit C. When position C is reached the precise timer setting causes the fluid to flow out of cylinder 62 and it returns to position A. As the rear folding pressure assembly moves downwardly, the contact 64 is disengaged from the limit switch 65 which causes the fluid to flow out of the cylinder 45 and return the piston rod 44 and ultimately the arms 53 to the starting position. As the pressure arm 58 moves downwardly and along arc 83, the transverse bar 61 pushes the rear end panel forward. The pressure here causes the box to collapse'inwardly while at the same time being pushed forward against the angular flight belt 70. As the rear folding pressure arm 61 pushes the box forward and downward collapsing its ends 14 and 15 inwardly, and its sides 11 and 12 outwardly, the top flaps 18 and 20 are pressed inwardly upon themselves due to the action of the belt 70. This position is more and more compressed and flattened as shown in FIGURE 6 where the end panels 14 and 15 are collapsed toward each other while the top flaps 20 and 18 are pressed inwardly upon each other. In this manner the folded, flattened boxes are fed into compression rollers 84 and 85 as shown in FIG- URE 6 to deliver them in the flattened form shown in FIGURE 7. It will be observed that the end panel 14 is flattened inwardly and that end panel 15 is also flattened inwardly. The top end flaps 20 and 18 overlie each other rearwardly and that side walls 11 and 12 are folded inwardly along the scoe lines 21 and 22 while the top side flaps 16 and 17 are folded at their median point along the scoring 24 against each other and inwardly.

In the flat form of the box shown in FIGURE-7, the bottom sealed boxes are easily baled in flat form, stored ready for use or transported to a place of use and quick- -ly opened to form a fully made, bottom sealed carton simply by pulling on the two end flaps 18 and 20 in an opposite direction. They snap into position and are immediately ready for use.

The bottom sealed boxes flattened by this machine are done quickly and automatically without hand labor and provide large numbers of bottom sealed boxes pre-sealed and transported to a remote location conveniently and ready for immediate use thus obtaining the advantages outlined earlier amongst many others.

I claim:

1. A machine for folding bottom sealed paper cartons in flat form without creasing or weakening the end panels or bottom thereof in combination, means for activating the folding means upon proper positioning of the carton within the machine, rotating arms to engage the interior of the side panels at substantially the longitudinal midpoint of the carton to collapse the sides outwardly, rear pressure folding means engaging the rear end panel of the carton to collapse it forwardly and moving said folded carton forward, and compression means for flattening th folded and collapsed carton.

2. A machine for folding bottom sealed paper cartons in flat form without creasing or weakening the end panels or bottom thereof in combination, driven means for conveying bottom sealed cartons horizontally end first through the machine, means for actuating the folding means in sequence when said box is properly positioned within the machine, folding arms rotatably mounted for opposed movement in a transverse plane to engage the interior side panels of the carton at substantially its midpoint to collapse the sides outwardly, rear pressure folding means engaging the rear end panel of the carton to collapse it forwardly and moving said folded carton forward, and compression rollers'for flattening the folded and collapsed carton.

3. The machine of claim 2 including a bottom sealed paper carton having interior score markings on each side panel extending angularly upward from each bottom corner and joining at an apex just above the midpoint of the top edge thereof.

4. The machine of claim 3 including timing means for operating the folding arms and the rear pressure means in timed sequence.

5. A machine for folding bottom sealed paper cartons in flat form without creasing or weakening the end panels or sealed bottom thereof in combination, a bottom sealed paper carton having interior scoring on each side panel from each bottom corner angularly upward to a midpoint just above the top edge thereof and having top side flaps each internally scored vertically at its midpoint, driven conveying means for conveying said carton end first on its sealed bottom, means for actuating the folding means in sequence when said box is properly positioned within the machine, folding arms rotatably mounted for opposed movement in a transverse vertical plane to engage the interior of said side panels below the top edge thereof at the midpoint to collapse said side panels and said top side flaps outwardly on said scorings, rear pressure folding means engaging the rear end panel of said carton collapsing it forwardly and moving the folded box forward, angular belt means for flattening said folded carton, compression rollers for delivering said bottom sealed carton in flat folded form, and timing means for operating the folding arms and rear folding means in timed sequence.

6. A machine for folding bottom sealed paper cartons in flat form in combination, a bottom sealed paper carton having interior scoring on each side panel from each bottom corner angularly upward to a midpoint just above the top edge thereof, continuously moving driven conveying means for conveying said carton end first first on its sealed bottom into the machine, means for stopping the box in proper position in the machine and actuating the folding means, folding arms rotatably mounted for opposed movement in a transverse vertical plane to engage the interior of said side panels below the top edge thereof at the midpoint to collapse said side panels outwardly on said scorings, rear pressure folding means engaging the rear end panel of said carton folding it forwardly and downwardly and moving the folded carton forward, travel means for flattening said folded carton, compression rollers for delivering said bottom sealed carton in flat folded form, and timing means for operating the folding arms and rear folding means in timed sequence.

7. The method of automatically folding bottom sealed paper cartons having their side panels scored on the interior thereof with scorings starting from each bottom corner and extending angularly upward intersecting at the midpoint along the top edge, the steps of engaging the side panels just below the intersection of the scorings and pushing said side panels outwardly to collapse said carton along said score lines, in timed sequence engaging the rear panel of said carton to fold it forwardly and downwardly to flatten the carton, and compressing the collapsed and folded carton.

8. The method of continuously and automatically folding bottom sealed paper cartons having top side and end flaps with their side panels scored on the interior thereof with scorings starting from each bottom corner and extending angularly upward intersecting at the midpoint above the top edge and their top side flaps interiorly scored vertically at their midpoint, the steps of engaging the side panels just below the intersection of the scorings and pushing said side panels outwardly to collapse said 7 8 carton along said score lines, in timed sequence engaging References Cited by the Examiner the rear panel of said carton to fold it forwardly and UNITED STATES PATENTS downwardly to flatten the carton with the front top end flap overlying the rear end flap each projecting rearward 2 acdonald 9353 5 allert 22941 ly, and compressmg the collapsed and folded carton through compression rollers. BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR FOLDING BOTTOM SEALED PAPER CARTONS IN FLAT FORM WITHOUT CREASING OR WEAKENING THE END PANELS OR BOTTOM THEREOF IN COMBINATION, MEANS FOR ACTIVATING THE FOLDING MEANS UPON PROPER POSITIONING OF THE CARTON WITHIN THE MACHINE, ROTATING ARMS TO ENGAGE THE INTERIOR OF THE SIDE PANELS AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE LONGITUDINAL MIDPOINT OF THE CARTON TO COLLAPSE THE SIDES OUTWARDLY, REAR PRESSURE FOLDING MEANS ENGAGING THE REAR END PANEL OF THE CARTON TO COLLAPSE IT FORWARDLY AND MOVING SAID FOLDED CARTON FORWARD, AND COMPRESSION MEANS FOR FLATTENING THE FOLDED AND COLLAPSED CARTON. 